SARS-CoV-2 Switches ‘on’ MAPK and NFκB Signaling via the Reduction of Nuclear DUSP1 and DUSP5 Expression

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and NF-kappaB (NF-κB) pathway regulate many cellular processes and are essential for immune cells function. Their activity is controlled by dual-specificity phosphatases (<i>DUSPs</i>). A comprehensive analysis of publicly available gene expression data sets of human airway epithelial cells (AECs) infected with SARS-CoV-2 identified <i>DUSP1</i> and <i>DUSP5</i> among the lowest induced transcripts within these pathways. These proteins are known to downregulate MAPK and NF-κB pathways; and their lower expression was associated with increased activity of MAPK and NF-κB signaling and enhanced expression of proinflammatory cytokines such as <i>TNF-α</i>. Infection with other coronaviruses did not have a similar effect on these genes. Interestingly, treatment with chloroquine and/or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs counteracted the SARS-CoV-2 induced reduction of <i>DUSP1</i> and <i>DUSP5</i> genes expression. Therapeutically, impeding this evasion mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 may help control the exaggerated activation of these immune regulatory pathways during a COVID-19 infection.